Time heals all wounds
by malfoyforever
Summary: Lucius has a little accident, and Andromeda helps him hide it from her family. Explores the life of a pureblood child. Set when they're both younger than eleven - written for a challenge at Hogwarts Online. ONESHOT, COMPLETE.


**Time heals all wounds **

He was not normal.

In a good way, of course – he was a wizard – a purebred, wealthy, handsome young wizard. Nor was he merely _any_ pureblood – he was a Malfoy. He was the one and only heir to the elusive Malfoy line, son of the widow Abraxas Malfoy. He was a Malfoy, destined to attract the attention of all witches once he grew up – a god, really, or a heavenly king – he would marry a respectable woman able to gift him with many children, like his ancestors before him.

He had his whole future unravelled, to be frank.

He was Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, heir to the royal throne of Malfoy, and he wasn't supposed to be curled up in a ball, whimpering over wet covers.

XXX

The thunderstorm raged outside, as the skinny boy pulled his covers over his eyes, only to find that he had wet the covers.

_Bad. __**Bad**__. _

If Father had been here, he would have earned himself yet another beating.

He was used to them; the whip was for discipline, after all.

Malfoys were strong, tough, and proud-

One bad sheep as an heir, and the line would perish, the work of many generations;

_Gone. _

Malfoys certainly did not wet their beds, or were they scared of thunderstorms.

_Stupid you, boy. _

He would have to wash them – Mrs Black would laugh if she saw them in the morning-

He would die of shame, really.

He needed to call an elf, didn't he?

Tibby would be travelling in Romania with Father, and he wasn't a master to the elves of the Black estate-

Scowling, he hopped off the bed, and began prying the sheets from the canopy bed.

Or, he tried to, at least.

He was quite sure that Malfoys were not supposed to do manual labour like this.

That was for house-elves, Weasleys, and filthy Muggles and Mudbloods.

"What are you doing?"

A girl came into view, in a pink nightdress, her caramel brown hair braided.

"Sod off, Andie."

"Language," she reprimanded gently, gliding over. "I'll help you."

"I can do it myself," he insisted. "Last time you helped me, you burned my stuffed dragon."

"I did not!"

"Did too!"

"That was _Bella_!" she breathed heavily. "Give me, Lucius!"

"_Why_?"

"'Cause Father will be angry when he sees that!"

Her statement made him hesitate.

"Your father gets angry, too?"

"Lots," she whispered with a grim smile.

Shoving him aside, she managed to pull off the covers, much to his protests.

"Hey! _Andie_!"

"Shut up," mumbled a voice.

Startled, they turned and saw Bellatrix turning in her sleep.

"Let's listen to Bella," Andromeda said, her eyes wide.

"Fine," he huffed. "Where're we going?"

"Bathroom. I'm going to call my elf, Jackie. He'll help us."

She tugged at him. "Follow me."

XXX

She let the water run slowly, quietly as to not wake her family.

He sat on the loo, watching her with apprehensive grey eyes.

The elf was nearby, scrubbing with its scrawny hands.

"Take off your shirt."

"No."

He knew what she would see, and she would cry out.

Father would be quite unhappy if he found out.

"Or I'll take it off for you."

"Promise to not tell anyone."

She looked curious now; _too_ curious.

"OK."

He pulled it off, ignoring the strong urge to wince, and threw it to the floor.

"What's on your- _oh_."

"Yes, oh."

"Your father did that to you?" she exclaimed. "I didn't know he was _that_ mean!"

"Father's very mean."

"You'd better not let your father hear that. Mummy says Mr Malfoy has a big temper."

He looked a tiny bit worried. "He does; you're right, Andie." He paused. "But Father does it for my good."

"How is beating you _good_?"

"Or else I'll be a bad heir."

"You shouldn't worry 'bout that."

"I _should_! Father reminds me every time he sees me! And you're a _girl_! You won't be the heir, anyways!"

"Yeah," she said, sounding sullen, "Bella, Cissy, and I will marry and bear children to pureblood men we probably won't even know. That's very fun."

"That's life!"

"Be quieter!" she hissed.

"Fine – I said, that's _life_!"

She shook her head. "Life for us purebloods."

"We're the best!" he insisted. "We rule over Muggles, Mudbloods, and half-breeds, and one day, with the Dark Lord's help-"

"That's a load of rubbish," she sighed, and her brown eyes were suddenly far away.

"Someday, _I'm_ going to have a girl called Nymphadora and stop the Dark Lord."

He goggled at her. "B-but you're a Black! Blacks go with the Dark Lord, same as us Malfoys!"

Glaring, he continued, "You're not gonna throw the life your 'cestors gave you away, are you?"

"I don't want to be another society housewife," she pouted. "I'm _better_ than that. Just you wait, Lucius."

He shrugged, looked over at the sink.

"Are the covers ready, elf?"

"Another fifteen minutes, young Master Malfoy," Jackie bowed.

"So you don't want to follow your 'cestors' footsteps?" he inquired at the girl.

"I'm going to be Slytherin," she hesitated, "'cause Gryffindorks are stupid, Hufflepuffs are duffers, and Ravenclaws are nerds. Slytherin is _wicked_ – I'm going to be cunning, determined, and ambitious."

"You are _already_," he pointed out.

She smiled a toothless smile. "Thank you."

XXX

She handed the covers back to him.

"All dry."

He blushed and looked at his feet.

"Thanks, Andie. You're nice, loads better than Bella or Cissy."

She frowned. "What's wrong with Cissy? Bella's weird, I know, sorta-"

"Violent!" he exclaimed. "_Scary_! And Cissy is too girly!"

"Well, if my sisters are worse than me, what's wrong with me?"

He bit his lip. "You're too nice, not like a Black."

"You're not that much like a Malfoy," she retorted.

"That's true," he had a small smile, "Then when I grow up, I'll be."

"Do your wounds still hurt?"

"Sorta," he admitted. "But I'm fine."

"No, you're not," she decided. "Wait, I'll go get dittany."

He obeyed. Because he was a _gentleman_.

He didn't know what that meant, but Malfoys were supposed to be gentlemen, his father said.

She applied the dittany gently, as he gradually relaxed.

"Finished!" she said brightly, yawning. "G'night then, Lucius."

"G'night, Andie."

If his hearing had been less keen, he would have not heard her murmur.

"Time heals all wounds, supposedly, Lucius, so you shan't worry."

"_Supposedly_," he turned back at her, but she was already gone.

XXX

_Time heals all wounds. _

**Time heals all wounds. **

The phrase echoed in his mind, mixing with the sounds of the constant storm.

Deep down in his child's mind, he knew that this was just another lie.

* * *

><p><strong>I actually really liked writing this :)<strong>

**Lucius/Andie is just awesome, and add that they're kiddies - fun guaranteed :)**

**Written for the Rugrats - in the Moment Challenge at Hogwarts Online.**

**Please read and review, especially if you favourited/alerted!**


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